Restart
by heywaitwhat
Summary: AU. Natasha finds herself back in New York City for her best friend's wedding. She meets Steve, the man she had a crush on through college until he broke her heart. But there was more to it than meets the eye, and five years later, Natasha finally learns the truth about him. Is it a little too late?
1. Chapter 1

For the first time in five years, Natasha Romanoff set foot on the east coast of the United States.

There was never a reason for her to return here, not after she moved permanently to Los Angeles, California, where she established herself as a renowned artist. Her art gallery drew countless wealthy clients from all around the world, in particular, the occupants of the nearby Beverly Hills. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine that she would garner such fame and fortune by pursuing her number one interest: art. To be precise, she was a master of oil paintings but dabbled occasionally in sculptures, which were both a hit with her wealthy clientele.

Not until her best friend, Pepper Potts, personal assistant to the CEO of Stark Industries, was about to tie the knot with her boss, the infamous playboy Tony Stark. Nothing in the world would make Natasha miss the wedding of the century. She was absolutely delighted when she received the red and gold envelope in her mailbox a month ago sent from New York City. Natasha had a smirk on her face when she tore open the envelope to find the beautifully designed invitation card, which she was certain to be Pepper's creation. It was worth a celebration that Pepper had successfully subdued the man after a six-year whirlwind romance.

The two best friends first met in art class when Pepper, a second year finance major, decided to take module 101 Foundation Painting as an elective. Natasha was in her first year of college when she met Pepper, whom she would grow closer to through her years in college.

Pepper was there for her through the ups and downs. When Natasha got herself so wasted that she collapsed on the college football field after celebrating her perfect GPA, Pepper remained sober and got her safely back to her dormitory. But not before Natasha had thrown up all over Pepper's brand new Ferragamo shoes, which she had no memory of until she discovered them stinky shoes in Pepper's shoe cabinet. That made Natasha swear off alcohol for a year.

But not until she had met…

"Miss Romanoff, we have arrived at your destination."

The sudden voice from the cab driver broke her train of thought. It was for the better. Natasha was cursing herself mentally in Russian. How could she allow herself to almost let that man back into her thoughts? No way, she would not let the image of him back into her mind after five years.

Natasha got off the cab and held onto her suitcase firmly. "Get a grip on yourself, lady."

Pepper had arrange for Natasha to stay in her Upper East Side apartment, which has been vacated for months since Pepper officially moved in with Tony. When Natasha stepped into the apartment, she could not help but smile to herself when she saw how Pepper had prepared the place for her. There were pictures of the two beautiful young ladies displayed in photo frames around the house, bringing back fond memories for Natasha who had suddenly realized that she had not seen her best friend for almost a year. The decoration of the house was simple yet elegant, and filled with mostly white furniture which was Natasha's favorite color. Natasha reached out to touch the bouquet of white lilies that Pepper had arranged in a tall, blue vase as a centerpiece for the apartment. Pepper, still ever so thoughtful and meticulous. Tony was a blessed man.

Natasha picked up the scarlet red envelope addressed to her near the vase.

Dear Natasha,

Welcome back to New York City. I'm SO happy that you could take time out to come for my wedding.

I apologize deeply for not being able to pick you up personally from the airport, but I know you will understand that this wedding planning is driving me CRAZY.

I CANNOT wait to catch up with you over the next three days. Even though it's short, we'll make the best of it. I'll make sure Tony understands that I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO spend time with my best girlfriend in this world, now that she is here with me.

If you would kindly agree, Tony and I will like to buy you dinner tonight.

Love, Pepper

As if right on cue, her cellphone started ringing. This led to an hour conversation with Pepper over the phone, which was filled with giggles, crazy laughter and a large amount of gossiping about Tony's ridiculous aunt. Pepper gave Natasha the address to the restaurant they were meeting at tonight, but before putting down the phone, Pepper was quick to add, "Wear your second best dress! Save the best one for my wedding!"

Natasha did indeed put on her second best dress that she had in her suitcase. It was an emerald green knee-length dress, which showed off just the right amount of her cleavage without them being on display. It complimented her green eyes just perfectly, and went well with her bright red hair, which she painstakingly curled to perfection. She put on just the right amount of makeup to make her look beautiful, but not steal the spotlight away from her best friend who was the star for the weekend.

Arriving at the location given by Pepper, Natasha was escorted to the table where she was reunited with the bride-to-be.

"NATASHA!" Pepper shrieked in delight, much to the dismay of the other dinner guests, as she wrapped her arms around Natasha and gave her a kiss on each cheek. Pepper was warm like that, unlike Natasha, who was generally more reserved in her physical interactions with people. The two women were quite polar opposites; maybe that was why they could hit it off for so long.

When Natasha could finally breathe normally after Pepper had reluctantly let go, mainly because Natasha started squirming in her arms for air, she was greeted by Tony, who gave her a more subtle welcome by lifting her hand and kissing it. Natasha found him to be quite the gentleman. Yes, he could be arrogant at times, and had a wandering eye on women (though he swears to never cheat on Pepper, which Natasha believes him). But there was something about him that Natasha found endearing, which was the way he looked at Pepper with adoration all the time.

"Natasha, so glad to have you here with us." Tony raised his glass at Natasha, who picked up the wine glass handed to her by a waiter, and exchanged a drink with Tony.

Pepper started rambling on about how good the food here was, but Natasha could no longer pay attention when she met a pair of deep blue eyes belonging to the man who was seated at their table.

She recognized those eyes. They belonged to Steve Rogers.

"Pepper?" Natasha cried out in disbelief. "This… He… Wait, what?"

Pepper placed her arm over Natasha's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Natasha. I didn't want to let you know he was coming, because I was afraid you would reject my invitation."

How foolish of her, Natasha thought. She should have known that she was bound to run into Steve Rogers, since he happened to be the friend of Tony and his best buddy through college. Well, Natasha and Steve may not even have met if not for Tony and Pepper introducing the both of them!

"I thought you were on my side." Natasha said softly, even though she was hurting badly on the inside. "Pepper, you know how much I hate him…"

"Natasha."

She heard him call her name for the first time in five years. It sounded so wrong, yet it was so right. The way he used to call her name, it set off the butterflies in her stomach.

Looking up, she met his blue eyes again, accompanied with a sorrowful, pleading expression on his face. Poor Steve Rogers. He looked so sad, so hopeless, so confused. The same look he had given her when she had left him.

Natasha did not say a word. She took a seat at the table, followed suit by a confused Tony and a worried Pepper as the foursome ate their dinner in silence. It started to get unbearable by the time they completed the second course, and Tony attempted to start a conversation with Natasha about the weather in California. Natasha hated small talk, much more in this situation, but having a conversation that distracted her from the pair of sad blue eyes seated opposite her was god sent.

Pepper joined in, and the three old friends began engaging in conversation about the upcoming wedding, Tony's ridiculous aunt (again) and Tony's new car. Natasha observed from the corner of her eye that Steve kept silent, choosing to stay focused on the piece of steak on his plate. There was nothing captivating about the chunk of red meat, but Steve just stared at it like his life depended on it.

The dinner party ended. Natasha was about to take her leave, after kissing both Tony and Pepper goodbye, when Steve offered to send her home.

"Natasha, we need to talk. Please." He pleaded. It was hard to say no. Not especially after she had seen how down casted this man looked through the dinner. Maybe, just maybe, she will hear him out.

Natasha obliged, as a concerned Pepper followed Tony into his new car, and kept her eyes on her redheaded best friend until the restaurant was out of sight.

"Natasha…"

The way her name rolled off his tongue again made a chill run through her body. They got into his car, and remained silent until he pulled up in front of Pepper's apartment.

"I thought you say we needed to talk. Speak now, or I'm leaving." She hissed mercilessly, as she kept her eyes focused on the dark, deserted road ahead of her. If she were to look at him and allowed herself to drown in his eyes again, her heart will melt again. Oh, those blue eyes…

The blonde hair man next to her in the driver's seat clutched on tightly to the steering wheel. He sneaked a look at the beautiful woman sitting next to him, one whom he has not seen for five long years. In these five years, Steve Rogers has made a name for himself in New York as a renowned artist. He held art shows once a year to showcase his latest creations, which draw a constant crowd of patrons from the high society. And of course, he met the daughters, granddaughters of his potential clients, who were all so eager to get to know him. One handshake offered by them could lead to countless lipstick marks being imprinted on his cheeks and neck. Steve did not like it, but he did not know how to say no. He was weak, always has been. And his weakness was what cost him a future with this redheaded beauty that he could never forget. Looking at his tall, well-built body frame, you could never have imagined that this man was like a pussycat on the inside.

Steve did not do serious relationships. He had a casual sexual relationship with the nurse next door, her name Sharon something, wait was it Carwell? Or Carter? It lasted for a year, but it came to an end when Steve had called her Natasha instead when he climaxed one night after drinking a wee bit too much alcohol. That earned him a tight slap, and the end to this arrangement. Since then, he never wanted to have sex again. Not until he set his eyes on Natasha again, what could have been his Natasha, as she sashayed into the restaurant. He wanted her so badly, and this time it was definitely not because of the alcohol. He did not drink.

"That's it, Steve Rogers. You never changed." Natasha reached out to open the door but Steve held her back by her arm.

"No, please. Natasha, I'm sorry." He truly was. What a relief it was for him to finally be able to say this word to her. He has been thinking about apologizing to her since she left him without a word five years ago, but he could not reach her. Yes, he knew about her doing well in the Los Angeles art scene, and he was proud of her achievements. He tried calling her art gallery a few times, but every time the line connected and he heard her chirpy greeting, he would put down the phone because he knew she would never want to hear form him again.

He could feel her softening in his arm, as he slowly released the grip. Natasha sat back on the chair and sighed deeply.

"It's a little too late, my friend. Five years too late."

Natasha would hate to admit this to him, but five years ago, she was in love with him. Even though what they shared was only a night of romantic passion, which ended in the morning when he had disappeared from the bed. She had woken up to find the sheets by her side cold, devoid of the human warmth that was there just before she fell into a deep slumber with the brightest smile on her face. She was so glad that they had happened; she had been in love with him from first sight when she laid her eyes on him at Tony's apartment during a Christmas party. But Steve was always quiet around her, and it was only until she had a bit too much to drink at Pepper's birthday party that she had the guts to grab this man and kiss him silly in the pool. It did not take long for Steve to react like any horny young man would, and carried her up into his arms where he took her to Tony's spare bedroom and took her virginity. He was a wild beast in bed, unlike his usual, quiet self, but ever so willing to please her and made sure she was comfortable with his pace.

The next day, she dialed his cellphone number. She was greeted by a robotic voice telling her to leave a voicemail. Two days, three days, and then a week had past. She did not hear from him.

She wanted to ask Tony to contact him, but she decided it was best that she kept this matter to herself.

For that week, Natasha had been crying herself to sleep. She told no one of her sorrows, not even Pepper, who was away on vacation in the Bahamas with Tony for her extended birthday celebration.

It was all her fault. She was a wanton woman. She had asked for it, to be used by the man she loved for sex and discarded like a used toy. Of course he was going to bed her, she threw herself onto him for god's sake! He was in no way obligated to see her anymore. They were not even close friends, all they ever did together was hang out in a group with Tony, Pepper, and their other college friends like Clint, Bruce and Darcy. She was the one who had feelings for him, one-sided feelings that he probably did not reciprocate. Or maybe, something happened to him.

Steve finally showed up two weeks later at a gathering in a diner with the gang. Tony and Pepper were all smiles, showing off the radiant tan they got from their trip while the rest of the gang teased them on their sexual escapades in the sand. Natasha caught Steve stealing a few glances at her through dinner, but she kept looking away from him to avoid herself from bursting into tears in front of everyone.

When the group had split up, Natasha could no longer hold her anger and disappointment back. She dragged Steve into a quiet corner on the street, without much protest from the big guy.

"Steve. I… What happened between us?" Natasha choked the words out as tears start to roll down her cheeks. "I know, it's my fault but I just want to know how you feel about it. Maybe I'm thinking too much, and you don't even remember what happened. But for the sake of my sanity, could you at least give me some closure?"

It was her first time after all. Natasha knew that she would have to remember this for the rest of her life. She wanted to at least end it without a doubt in her mind.

"Natasha, I… It was a mistake, my mistake. I should not have taken advantage of you when your judgment was impaired."

Natasha wave her hands up in the air. "Fine, fine. It's a mistake. Don't worry about it; it was my mistake too. I just thought, that as a decent human being, you would at least talk to me when I have been trying to reach you for the past two weeks. Like I have feelings, and I'm young, lost and confused because I just slept with a guy I have a huge crush on. Of course, it's not your problem that I like you. I just, wanted to have you around."

"I… I was busy the past couple of weeks. It was rough. I never meant to hurt you like this. It's just that…" Steve was at a loss for words. So he just remained silent as Natasha turned her back and walk away from him. He tried to call her that night, and the next morning and for the next two months until her cellphone number was no longer in used. He heard from Pepper to leave her alone, so he did. He thought that was the best for her.

The truth was, he wanted her as badly as she did that night during Pepper's birthday party. Seeing her in that hot pink tiny bikini, he had a hard time keeping that damn erection down in his swim trunk. When he had finally gotten the chance to fuck her senseless, the inner beast in him was unleashed. Hell, losing his virginity to this hot girl whom he had been too shy to talk much to the whole time along was the best thing that ever happened to him. Or maybe, it was tied to first place with Bucky.

"Bucky." He unknowingly allowed the name to slip out of his mouth.

"Excuse me?" Natasha called out. She was about to make her way out of the car again when she heard him speak.

"Bucky, he was my best friend." Steve looked over at Natasha, and she could see the tears forming his eyes, clouding their beautiful blue color.

Her heart softened. This was the first time she had seen him cry. Steve Rogers, whom she had hated to the core at some point in her life, was now crying in front of her as she felt her heart melt into a puddle of goo.

Surprising even herself, she reached over and held the big guy in an embrace. Her small figure could hardly contain him in her arms, but she tried, as she stroked him on the back.

"Bucky… Bucky was my best friend. He was all I ever had growing up. I had no parents, and he had no parents. We grew up together eating trash, leftover from diners, when we had no money left. I was small and weak, so Bucky was always there for me. He protected me when the bigger guys beat me up and stole whatever little I had for lunch money. He dropped out of school, got a job when he was fourteen and helped me through school. When I started college, he enlisted in the army and was sent to Afghanistan. He never failed to send me money to pay my tuition fees, and that allowed me to focus on my school work and not worry about having to pay for them…"

Natasha held him tighter, letting him know that it was okay to carry on. It was okay to be vulnerable in her arms, she was here for him.

"Bucky died, I got the phone call that night, the night I left you. I rushed off to his base, where they brought his body back, and I… I had to be there for him on his last journey. After that, I felt so lost and helpless. Bucky, who has been my leader, was gone. I was all alone. And then, I discovered Bucky had an illegitimate child with our friend from middle school. She was scared and lonely as well, I had to help her and the child get settled down. But it was not like I had any money either, so it was tough. I helped her watch the kid when she got a job as a waitress…"

"I'm so sorry, Steve. I really am." Natasha stroked his blonde hair, and placed his head gently on the crook of her neck.

"Natasha, you meant something to me. That night we spent together, when you first kissed me, I was so happy. I had been waiting for that to happen forever, I just never had the guts to tell you I had a crush on you. You are smart, beautiful, and had a bright future ahead of you. I didn't think this weak kid here was ever good enough for you. I made a mistake to let you walk out of my life, and I know I will regret it for the rest of my life."

The tense atmosphere in Steve's car was engulfed in silence, except for the quiet sobs from Steve. He held her tightly in his arms, not wanting to let go and lose her again. The past five years could have been spent happily with her, it was him who had destroyed it all with his bare hands.

Natasha was deep in thought. She was glad to know the truth, that Steve Rogers, the man she was crazy about, felt the same way for her. But it hurt her that she had been absent from him when he needed her the most, when he felt alone. He had been trying to reach out to her the whole time, but she never gave him the chance to explain himself. It was all her fault. She ruined their happiness.

His palm reached out and wiped the tears that now began to fall down her face.

"Natasha, don't cry anymore. Don't ruin this beautiful face."

She stayed still as he pulled her face closer to his and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. When their lips touched, they had both undoubtedly felt a surge of energy through them which drove them crazy. It reminded them of how much they wanted each other badly. It was the case five years ago, and now, they both still had those strong feelings for each other. It was love and lust, but most importantly, it was desperation and longing.

The kiss intensified. No words needed to be say. It did not take long before they ended up back in Pepper's apartment, smashing the vase of lilies on the marble floor as Steve swiped it off the table to pin Natasha down on it. Her dress came off swiftly even before they reached the bedroom. Their naked bodies entwined on the bed as they made love to each other. Sex with Natasha set Steve's heart, body and soul on fire. That was something that Sharon could never do. By the time he climaxed, he was screaming her name at the top of his lungs. Natasha, the only woman he loved and wanted for the past five years.

When Natasha woke up the next morning, she was relieved to see her small frame in his strong arms. Natasha peeked at his serene face, as he continued to sleep soundly. She thought he seemed to be smiling in his sleep. Could it be because of her?

Suddenly she sneezed, and it woke Steve up. He opened his eyes and their gaze met, as bright smiles appeared on their faces.

"Good morning, Natasha. I can't believe this moment took five years to happen."

"Good morning, Steve."

He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead as she felt her cheeks turn warm. She still could not quite believe that this was happening, that she was back in bed with the only man that ever captured her heart. The sex last night had been awesome, well worth the wait after remaining chaste since their first night together. She was glad that he was her first, second and if she dared think further, hopefully her last.

"Natasha, I love you. Can we start all over?" His eager eyes remained on her as he waited for her reply.


	2. Chapter 2

It hit them hard. He had said the word and she had heard it loud and clear.

Although it appeared and then disappeared just as quickly, Steve caught the flash of doubt in Natasha's eyes.

Natasha's smile faded. She loved him five years ago, but after what he did to her, she could not help but have some doubt in her head. Was she ready to open her heart again, to love and be loved, as he said? She had given her body to him again last night, allowing him to enter her and fill her up with his soul, allowing him to see her in her most vulnerable state. But love? Was she ready for it? Was she about to change her lifestyle, to make room for Steve Rogers and to allow him a chance to hurt her again?

At least he stayed in bed till the morning, and then expressed his love for her. But maybe, just maybe, he said he loved her because he was still on a sexual high, his senses clouded by his raging hormones. Maybe he loved sex with her, and maybe he loved her body? Natasha felt bad to doubt him, but who could blame her after the pain he had put her through in the past five years?

Five years where she woke up in the middle of the night from the same nightmare over and over again, that she had woken up the next morning to find the bed by her side empty and her calling out for his name over and over again, only to be greeted by resounding silence. She hated what he had done to her. He made her insecure, afraid to get too close to any other men and allowing them to hurt her.

She had dates, people asking her out at her art gallery, at restaurants and even at bus stations. But she either turned them down instantly or decided not to show up at the last minute. That was why she remain single all these while. She was not waiting for Steve to come back to her on purpose; she just could not love and trust again so easily.

And now he say he loves her. She understands why he left her that morning, she don't blame him for she knew how much Bucky meant to him. But was it a little too late now? She kind of thought so.

It scared him just as much to allow that word to slip out of his mouth. He had never said it to anyone. The closest person he ever had was Bucky, but they were brothers, and it was too mushy and gay to say they love each other. They expressed their affections for each other through their actions and mutual support. But now, he had just told Natasha that he love her.

He knew he wanted her badly last night, just as much as he wanted her five years ago. He made love to her, and not just screws her for his own physical pleasure. It made him felt good, complete and it made him believe that there was someone in this world that he could spend the rest of his life with. This was the first time Steve Roger wanted a serious relationship with anyone. He knew he had found the right person.

"Steve…" Natasha mumbled.

His fingers reached out and stroke the side of her face, down her temple to her sharp cheekbones and finally they held on to her chin.

He wanted the truth. Even though how painful it may be for him, he wanted the best for her. "Natasha, tell me how you really feel about us."

She kept silent, and thought for some time, but she could not verbalize her thoughts and feelings. She did not want to sound too harsh and crush his fragile heart, especially not after he had poured his feelings out for her and asked for another chance. But she was not quite ready yet to commit herself entirely to him. She had trust issues, which she did not want to admit to.

Just as Steve was about to say something to diffuse the tense atmosphere, Natasha's phone rang. She looked at the screen and it reflected Pepper's name, along with a heart shape behind it.

"Go on, answer it." Steve said, almost relieved that their attention was now diverted to the phone. Natasha rolled over and picked up her cellphone, as she lay with her back now facing Steve as his hand ran through her long, silky red hair that he loves so much.

Natasha answered the phone, and was instantly greeted by the chirpy voice on the other end of the line. Pepper had wanted to ask her out for lunch and some last minute shopping on Fifth Avenue for the afternoon. Natasha found it hard to say no, so she said yes. When she had turned around and told Steve that she need to get going, she could have sworn that he had the saddest expression on his face that she had ever seen.

Steve got out of bed, and put on his clothes from the night before. Natasha got changed, put on some make up and styled her hair a little. When she had returned to the bedroom, Steve was gone.

Pepper and Natasha had some of the finest delicacies in town for lunch, all charged to Tony's shining new credit card which he had presented to Pepper as their early wedding gift.

"More to come, he says," said Pepper as she handed the card to the waitress on a silver tray. Natasha could not help but smile at how blissful Pepper was.

"Did you sleep well?" Pepper asked casually, "I hoped you like the new pillows I picked out especially for you. I remember that you like them hard and firm."

Pepper had actually wanted to ask her about Steve, but she thought it was weird to get straight to the point. She shall beat around the bush until she gets to the main question. Natasha knew her well enough; Pepper Potts was a nosy little lady since they had known each other. She wanted to know what happened after they parted ways last night.

"Steve and I, we screwed each other' brains out on that comfortable bed of yours." It was meant as a joke, an exaggeration. Natasha wanted to watch Pepper's reaction. She would be lucky if she could get a look of pure disgust out of the prim and proper Pepper of today.

To her surprise, the biggest brightest smile appeared on Pepper's face. "I'm so happy for you, Natasha. You both deserve each other, after all that time wasted and spent apart. That was why Tony and I insisted on setting that dinner up last night, we wanted you two to meet."

Natasha should have known. Why would Pepper have insisted that she dolled up for their dinner date otherwise? And why would Steve be there for no reason? It was a set up, an opportunity for them to have a fresh start.

After they were done with shopping, Pepper had to leave for a dinner party with some of Tony's distant relatives here especially for the wedding. Natasha excused herself and made her way back to the apartment, only to be greeted by an adorable Steve, now dressed in a white button down shirt, which looked way too tight on him, and jeans waiting at her doorway. He was holding a bunch of freshly cut red roses and leaning on her door, his eyes gleaming with delight when the lift had opened and Natasha stepped out like a goddess in her long floral dress.

He had been waiting there for her for over an hour, but he was going to persevere for as long as he needed until he could see her again. He thought long and hard after leaving her apartment. It was no surprise to him that his words had caught her off guard and thrown some doubt into her mind about him. He knew that he could not blame her, after what he did to her in the past. Like any normal human being, she would need time to process everything that was going on now and the only thing he could do was to wait patiently until she was ready. He was prepared for however long it may take, as he knew in his heart that he could not lose her again. Natasha Romanoff was going to be his girlfriend, his first serious relationship.

Natasha smiled from the bottom of her heart. She was touched by his efforts, and was more than happy to receive those roses from him. This was the first time she had received flowers from him, a moment she had been waiting for a long, long time.

"Natasha, I just want you to know, that no matter how long you need to make a decision about our future, I will always be by your side waiting patiently. I don't want to leave you again. I want us to have a happy ending, just like Tony and Pepper. We both deserve it, after all we had been through."

That night, he took her out for dinner at a restaurant that they used to frequent as college kids. It was not too pricey, and may be even considered cheap for their first real date, but Steve knew that it meant something to Natasha. His guess was right when they entered the restaurant and Natasha had instantly requested for the third booth by the window with a low-laying lamp down the middle of the table. This was where they first had dinner together, alone, after Tony and Pepper had called in sick with the gang to stay in bed for the rest of the evening. No big deal, they still had Clint, Bruce and Darcy coming along. Except that Clint had a last minute date with his long-time crush, Maria Hill, Bruce was stuck in the laboratory with his problematic results and Darcy had a test to revise for.

"So you do remember this place?" She asked, as she excitedly bounces onto the seat as he took the seat opposite of her. "We exchanged less than ten sentences through appetizer, main course and dessert, the only time we ate alone together." The reason for that was silly; they were both too shy to talk to each other, or even look each other in the eye for too long.

Except that this time round it was different. They talked about the past, reminiscing about the good memories that they had shared with their gang in the restaurant. Natasha learnt that Clint and Maria had been married for three years, and Maria was now expecting their second child. Bruce and Darcy dated for a while after Natasha moved away, but were now separated as Bruce was stationed in a laboratory in San Francisco while Darcy remained as a researcher in New York. Natasha was told that they were all going to be reunited at the wedding two nights from now, and she could hardly contain her excitement.

Then they got to more personal topics. Natasha talked about her career in Los Angeles, told Steve the stories about some of her most eccentric clients, which led them to break out into laughter and get some stitches on their sides. Steve was so proud of her, beaming at her as she talked enthusiastically about her passion and how it brought her more money than she could ever imagined.

Steve told her that he made it in the art scene too, which greatly surprised Natasha, as she never knew that Steve had a hidden talent in art. He was an engineering major, not afraid to get his hands dirty. Natasha could never imagine he could draw or paint, much less make a successful career out of it. But it did not surprise her for long. Steve was always special, she knew that, and that was what attracted her to him in the first place. He was a quiet man, but he was deep and there was probably more to him than meets the eye. He was a mystery; you could never read him like an open book like you could do to Pepper.

Steve could not help but stammer when he asked Natasha if she was seeing anyone on the West Coast.

"Nope, not anyone. There hasn't be anyone special." Her reply put his heart to ease. She asked him the same question, and he shook his head shyly as he tried to keep a victorious smile off his face. She felt a little silly to ask him the question, after he confessed his love to her in the morning, but it was just for clarity's sake.

Their dessert arrived, strawberry cheesecake for her and a Crème Brûlée for him. The boss of the restaurant, a short, cheerful Frenchman who recognized them instantly, was the waiter.

"Steve Rogers? Natasha Romanoff?" He cried out in delight, as though he was serving Hollywood superstars who had miraculously appeared in his restaurant. He was in shock, in awe and muttered something in French, which they could not understand.

Steve raised his eyebrow. "You, you know us?"

"Of course I do, I'm an avid art collector. And how could I forget you two sweet little things coming here with your friends. Let's see, there was the tall, skinny blonde girl and her boyfriend, the loaded one called Stark? And the mischievous fella, Clint was his name wasn't it? But you two, oh how could I ever forget you? You, especially Rogers, brought so many admirers of your work to my restaurant."

"My work?" Steve had no recollection that the restaurant owner was ever on his client list.

Before they could start on dessert, the Frenchman had gestured them to the bar counter where he proudly pointed to a sketched portrait on display in a thick, gold frame. The frame was gaudy, old-fashioned but the portrait in it was a rare gem.

Natasha gasped when she realized it was a portrait of her, hand drawn by a talented artist who made her sketched being come to life. In the portrait, she was looking down at her plate of spaghetti with meatballs, grinning to herself, with her thick, luscious curls drawn to perfection. There was a small scribble at the corner, which stated the name of her date, Steve Rogers.

"Steve, when did you draw this?" She asked, her voice filled with delight and burning curiosity. How did she not realize that she was a subject of his artistic talent since their early days spent together?

Steve's cheeks flushed. He remembered the exact date he drew this. It was December 27, just two days after Tony's Christmas Party, they had met up again for the second time for a meal with the gang. Steve and Natasha had barely said a word to each other that night, but Steve had chosen a seat opposite her on purpose to get a closer look of her. She had attracted his attention, the night at the party, with her cheerful spirit and that tight little red dress she had on along with a Santa hat. He could not quite believe that a beautiful, sweet girl like her existed. That was why he felt an urge to draw her, to capture her in his memory, to depict her beautiful self into a drawing that could last forever.

When the gang had went to play at the pool table, except for Steve who lied that he was tired, he had sat there alone at the table and sketched Natasha out of his memory. When Bruce had returned to the table out of the blue, just as Steve had signed his name on the completed drawing, Steve had slide it into the menu and hid it by his side. He forgot about the portrait when the gang left the restaurant. To his surprise, the restaurant owner had kept it, and for over five years!

"Wow… I can't believe it's still here. That was December 27. Our second meeting."

Natasha remembered. Oh how excited she had been when she saw Steve walked into the diner by Tony's side, dressed in a long-sleeved button down shirt in a shade of blue just slighter darker than his eyes. Her mind had been wandering since Christmas, occasionally thinking about Steve Rogers, Tony's friend, and how adorable he had looked in his red and green elf costume.

"Can I have this back, please?" Steve asked. The Frenchman was reluctant at first, but he was eventually convinced to make a trade with one of Steve's latest artworks worth over fifty grand. Natasha agreed to throw in one of her paintings too, although she could not fetch such a hefty sum like Steve. She thought she had made it big in this business, but it seems like Steve was way ahead of her.

The pair walked out of the restaurant, with the portrait of Natasha in Steve's hand. Natasha stole a glance at Steve, as she caught him blushing when he noticed her eyes on him. He was turning red again, how cute, she thought.

When they got into the car, Steve handed the portrait over to Natasha.

"As my gift to you. Thank you for having dinner with me."

"That cost you fifty grand. I'm a very expensive dinner date."

"You know you're worth more than that to me."

Natasha was honored. Fifty grand was no small sum, but he had made the trade for her portrait with no hesitation. Looking into his eyes, as the car pulled up in front of Pepper's apartment, Natasha leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Steve."

There was something inside of her that was conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to spend the night with Steve, especially after their magical evening together, she found it very hard to part ways with him. But on the other hand, she was afraid that by opening her heart again to him so quickly, she was going to get hurt again. But looking at those earnest blue eyes filled with love and adoration, how could they hurt her?

She trusted her heart, ignoring the alarm bells going off in her head, and invited him back to the apartment. When they had entered the apartment, Natasha set the portrait down on the table and wrapped her arms around Steve's broad figure. Although she was tiny against him, her heels gave her some extra height to reach his lips with only a slight tiptoe. But before she could plant a kiss on his captivating lips, Steve pulled back.

"That's not what I'm solely here for, Natasha. It goes beyond this. I just want you to feel safe with me, and I'm not going to take advantage of you. I love you for who you are, not what you can offer me. Until you're sure of me, and I have proven that I'm true to you, I'm not going to let you do anything that you might regret."

That night, they slept together on the bed, in each other's arms with smiles on their faces. Just sleeping, with their clothes intact. In the morning, Natasha woke up to find Steve missing but with a note attached to his pillow saying, "Out to get breakfast."

He soon returned with waffles and maple syrup, and a cup of hot coffee. Natasha was beyond pleased; she was amazed that he still remembered what she like after so many years. She had never told him that she loved waffles, and had to have them with nothing but maple syrup, but he had silently observed her and picked this up by himself. How could she have been so blind to his attention five years ago, and allow herself to doubt him?

His effort earned him a kiss on the cheek, by Natasha's maple syrup-covered lips. Steve could not stop grinning to himself as he indulged in his waffles and chocolate sauce, alongside a cup of iced black tea. He knew what she liked, and had committed it to his memory for so many years, despite not knowing when he will meet her again. He knew this day will come, when he would wake up by her side, get her breakfast in bed and he was so glad when it did. It was always a little fantasy of his that played in the back of his mind when he imagined a happy ever after with Natasha Romanoff, the girl of his dreams.

Natasha had been away for too long, and Steve decided that the day was best spent reorienting her around the city. By that, he meant visiting the main tourist attractions like the Empire State Building, where they had to jostle alongside swarm after swarm of tourists, to catch a glimpse of the city from the viewing point. Steve was protecting Natasha, with her small frame wrapped up in his strong arms, he made sure that the rowdy, and excitable tourists did not hurt her by accident. This gave Natasha the opportunity to admire the scenery, the beautiful skyline of New York City, the place she used to call home. There were some changes, some new buildings gaining in height against the old backdrop and some new corporations springing up. Natasha was sure to notice the new Stark Tower, where she knew Tony and Pepper now worked at.

She was also not blind to the countless enviable stares she draw from the female crowd. There were ladies of all ages openly checking her date out, especially drawn to his biceps which were firmly around her body, while some were trying to look at somewhere less appropriate and drooling on the inside. This made Natasha want to chuckle, but she decided against it when some nasty looking girls around the age of eighteen gave her death stares. Oh, she sensed jealousy.

Of course, she had her fair share of admirers as well, which she was oblivious to. Steve had noticed some men checking his girl out, staring down from her bosom to her ass, and that did not sit well with him. He stared down at most of the men, who were all shorter than him in height, which made them look away in fear of getting into trouble with this big guy. He tightened his grip around Natasha, not letting these strangers undress her mentality with their eyes. In his head, he was mentally chiding Natasha for wearing a short tight dress that showed a little bit too much cleavage. But of course he did not know that she had chosen this outfit especially for him; though she knew she had his attention, she felt confident knowing that he was taken breathless by what he saw. She wanted to be the most beautiful woman to him, the only one that will captivate him. So far, she seems to be succeeding.

Deciding that they were better off at a less crowded location, the pair headed to Central Park where they took a walk, admiring the scenery and enjoying the fresh air. As their legs moved in unison, with his hands in his pockets and her hands across her chest, they enjoyed their walk through the park, something they had never done together before. Steve inched closer to Natasha when a kid on a skateboard got a little too close to him, and felt her shoulder brushing against his. They stayed like that for a short while, until Natasha reached out to brush a leaf off Steve's head, which had fallen down from a tree. And then when her hands fell to her side, Steve was quick to take advantage of the moment, grabbing onto her hand and holding it tightly in his. Natasha turned red and grinned, how nice it was to have their hands together, she thought. But not long after, Steve started to get a bit nervous and had sweaty palms. He knew about it, and tried to pull his hand away from her, but Natasha would not let him go.

"You're getting nervous just by holding hands? What happened to the confident Steve in bed?" She teased.

Steve started blushing till his ears and neck turned bright red, a nice compliment to the maroon shirt he was wearing. He cursed himself mentally for being such a weird guy; he was lucky that he had not scared Natasha away yet. He had no idea why he felt so embarrassed just by holding her hands, when he had seen all of her and touched her in her forbidden areas.

Maybe it was because their actions were moving into relationship territory. This was something new to Steve, both of them to be exact.


End file.
